Dantonio Back With Spartans After Time With Family
EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) - Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio is back with the team after briefly leaving to be with his family this week as his father underwent a medical procedure.
Dantonio traveled to Zanesville, Ohio, on Tuesday and was gone about a day. The school said he was back for practice with the 17th-ranked Spartans on Wednesday and Thursday.
"For the most part, it's business as usual," quarterback Kirk Cousins said. "If anything, we play stronger because we do feel like we want to do something for Coach D and make him feel prouder, or at least give him less to worry about, because he has enough on his plate right now."
Defensive coordinator Pat Narduzzi was in charge of football operations in Dantonio's absence. Michigan State's coaching staff and players have proven they can operate smoothly on their own.
The Spartans won two games last season without Dantonio after the coach had a mild heart attack after a win over Notre Dame in mid-September.
"We pride ourselves on being able to handle adversity," offensive lineman Joel Foreman said. "Coach D is obviously the father of our family. We're a family here. To see him going through struggles like that, that a lot of people have experienced, it's hard. He's our dad. For him to go through that, we pray for him every day, we think about him every day, and we're praying for his dad."
The Spartans are transitioning from preseason camp to their first game week. Michigan State, which tied for the Big Ten title last year, opens the season Sept. 2 against Youngstown State.
The Spartans announced Thursday that Cousins, Foreman and defensive back Trenton Robinson have been picked as captains. Dantonio didn't meet with reporters but he did release statements on those three players.
"They're a great group of leaders who have all played a lot of football here," Dantonio said. "They've not only had success, but they've also been on the other side of the fence a little bit in terms of having to battle through some adverse situations in their lives. When you pick leaders, as I told our football team this morning, you need to find people who have gone through difficult times and have been able to move forward in a positive manner."
Cousins becomes only the second three-time captain in Michigan State history, joining Robert McCurry (1946-48). Foreman is poised to become a rare four-year starter on the offensive line, and Robinson enters his third season as the starting free safety.
Michigan State will keep another captain's spot open, to be filled on a rotating basis during the season.
Practice on Thursday marked the end of preseason camp. Players aren't due back until Sunday night, when the Spartans will begin preparing for Youngstown State in earnest.
"All of our legs are dead," Robinson said. "That's what camp does to you. You lose your legs, and then you've got to get them back. ... To get these couple days off to get our legs back - I can't wait until we come back next week and I can actually run fast again."
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